A digital bill board, like the one that stalked Tom Cruise's character with advertisements in the sci-fi blockbuster 'Minority Report', may soon be a real resource for advertisers across the world.
The new system, called the Next Generation Digital Signage, uses built-in cameras to instantly judge a shopper's age and gender as they pass. The billboard has a facial-recognition system that scans for information about the shopper, including their age to within 10 years and their gender, which is sent to an internal compurter. The longer a person remains in front of the camera, the more accurate the data will be. The technology is being developed by the Japanese electronics company NEC, and experts say that it will help to better target consumers with appropriate advertising.
